TechStuff

While Jonathan works on a new episode about stage lighting systems, take a listen to this classic episode in which he and his old cohost Chris Pollette talk about the history and workings of electric guitars.

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Our news stories today include SBF filing an appeal on his recent sentencing, a UK court denies Apple's request to dismiss a huge lawsuit and Microsoft may soon make the Copilot AI feature an auto-launch program in Windows 11. Plus much more!

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Entire industries are being reshaped around the new capabilities of generative AI. In this special
bonus episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Tim Harford leads a conversation between two leaders
in the field. Srinivasan Venkatarajan is the Director of Global Partner Business at Microsoft,
focusing on Azure Data & AI and Azure OpenAI. And Chris McGuire is the General Manager of
the Global Microsoft Partnership for IBM.

They discuss the efforts by IBM and Microsoft in the generative AI space, how this relationship
has been providing value to clients, and why collaboration is necessary for technological
progress.

Visit us at: ibm.com/smarttalks

Learn more about IBM Consulting for Microsoft

This is a paid advertisement from IBM.

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Journalist Ernie Smith got an odd DMCA takedown notice for a picture he included in his tech newsletter. It turns out that the notice was a ploy to try and trick Smith into including a backlink to another site in an effort to boost that site's search rankings. What the what?

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The Nintendo Virtual Boy was one of the company's infamous flops, but why? Why did the system fail so hard that Nintendo killed it off after just one year? 

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Net neutrality goes through another flip in the flip-flop history with the FCC announcing it plans to vote to reinstate some of the rules established during the Obama administration but overturned during the Trump administration. Plus, Google agrees to destroy billions of data records and Ford decides to hold off on producing EVs for a bit.

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My blood runs cold, my computer memory has just been sold -- my test image is the centerfold! Today, we look at the story of the "Lenna image," a scan of a Playboy model that has been used in countless papers and articles, and why there's a movement now to bring an end to that practice.

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Sometimes, folks want to take a short cut. And sometimes that shortcut is illegal. This episode is about companies, managers, employees and others who engaged in some shifty behavior to get access to data that didn't belong to them.

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TikTok is turning up the heat on the US Senate to get a proposed bill that would ban the service tossed out. The US government announces new policies relating to the use of AI in federal agencies. And a streaming service tries to clamp down on butts. 

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Is it true Harry Snyder, founder of In-N-Out, invented the intercom? Not quite. But he was the first credited with using a system to create what would become the model for the modern drive-thru. 

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The End User License Agreement is that thing you click "I agree" to without having read the whole thing. But you can be forgiven -- some companies make their EULAs freakishly long, hiding some nefarious terms in the process. 

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The US government is cracking down on Big Tech. From a House bill that would make it illegal for data brokers to sell American citizen info to foreign adversaries to a massive monopoly lawsuit against Apple, we look at some of the battles the Tech industry faces in the near future. Plus more!

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After navigating numerous controversies and setbacks, Rooster Teeth attempted to return to a more stable existence. But it was not to be. The corporate overlords at Warner Bros Discovery have decided to shut down the company after it reportedly spent a decade being unprofitable.

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As artificial intelligence progresses, healthcare providers are exploring how the technology can be used to offer personalized care at scale. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Dr. Laurie Santos sits down with Alice Crisci, co-founder and CEO of fertility-care provider Ovum Health.

They discuss the barriers to healthcare access, the ways in which AI can be leveraged to expand the reach of healthcare providers, and how Ovum Health’s partnership with IBM and their use of watsonx has been enhancing the patient experience.

Visit us at: ibm.com/smarttalks  

Learn more about watsonx Assistant

This is a paid advertisement from IBM.

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Fullscreen's acquisition of Rooster Teeth would bring with it new challenges, including corporate bureaucracy, a push for new kinds of monetization, and changes in company culture. Meanwhile, the folks at Rooster Teeth kept making content. 

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This week, the House of Representatives in the US voted overwhelmingly in support of a bill that would force TikTok owner ByteDance to divest itself of the app or else face a national ban. What's going on, where does the bill go from here and why am I so exasperated by it all?

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Warner Bros Discovery is shutting down the online media company Rooster Teeth just as it nears its 21st anniversary. We look back on the history of the company, how it made an impact on internet culture, and where things went wrong.

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Ed Zitron of the Better Offline podcast joins the show, and boy is he mad! Ed and Jonathan get angry over the state of the tech industry, the focus on short term gains at the cost of long term benefits, and why the tech we have at our disposal sometimes just feels like it's not as good as it should be.

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OpenAI said they didn't wanna do it, but they're sharing emails written by Elon Musk that imply he was totally okay with OpenAI making a ton of money if it also was part of Tesla. Plus the US President speaks out against AI. And much more!

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Artist Alicia Framis plans to wed an AI "hologram" this summer. Before the wedding bells chime, we have some questions. We explore holograms, artificial intelligence, and technical, social, ethical and cultural conundrums.

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Every year in the U.S., tens of thousands of hospital patients die of preventable causes. For many of these patients, warning signs are subtle and easy for doctors to miss. Suchi Saria is the founder and CEO of Bayesian Health, and a professor at Johns Hopkins where she runs a lab focused on machine learning and healthcare. Suchi’s problem is this: How can you use AI to detect when hospital patients are at risk of potentially deadly complications – and how can you get doctors to listen?

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Sometimes, an invention comes along that defines a new function, form factor, or fashion. In this episode, we celebrate some of these inventions by exploring the stories behind them.

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The Silicon Valley dream is to come up with an app and make a billion dollars. But not every app hits such heights. And some briefly touch the stars but then plummet back to Earth. This episode is dedicated to the failures!

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Once upon a time, there were no digital cameras. Who invented them, and how did they become so common that even the most basic smartphone has one? We learn about the tech behind digital cameras and really get into the megapixels.

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In what I can only describe as an overcorrection, Google's Gemini AI has tried to promote diversity in situations where it's not appropriate, such as in an image portraying Nazi soldiers. Plus, Bluesky gives more control to users, Cruise looks to resume operations in a different state after California revoked its license, and researchers find a way to double processing power without upgrading hardware.

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Journalist Jacob Goldstein joins the show to talk about the challenges of communicating technology topics to the public, how to sort through the promise and threat of AI, and the way that engineers approach problems.

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How did the co-founders of Intel go from being "traitors" to two of the early pioneers of Silicon Valley? We learn about Robert Noyce and Gordon Moore.

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As the 20th century loomed ever closer, the battle waged to determine how we would transmit electricity. Learn about the current wars and why AC ultimately won.

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Not all inventions are the product of careful experimentation. Sometimes, someone pulls a whoopsie and learns something new. This episode is all about those types of discoveries.

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For a couple of years in Google's early history, it was a real search company. But that would change in 2000 as Google would embrace advertising. Learn how Google would shift to become a dominant force in online ads.

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Sam Altman of OpenAI wants to see a huge investment in new semiconductor fabrication plants to support AI implementations. The FTC hopes to reverse the Microsoft-Activision Blizzard merger. And did hackers really take over millions of smart toothbrushes?

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Back in 2015, Facebook made a claim that would lead advertisers and content creators to shift focus to online video. There was one problem -- the claim ended up being bogus. How did the pivot to video strategy become a dark, grim joke in the tech sector?

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What does Big Data actually mean? How has the science of Big Data changed recently? What are the potential benefits and pitfalls of Big Data? 

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The Senate Judiciary Committee met with CEOs like Mark Zuckerberg with accusations that their companies are actively causing harm to children, and they weren't happy with the response. Plus, a judge tells Elon Musk that he will not be getting the massive compensation package promised to him by Tesla's board of directors. And TikTok says goodbye to Taylor Swift's music (and all other UMG tracks). Plus more!

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Who invented the hovercraft? What happened to all the hovercraft that used to provide transportation options in the UK? How do they work? We look into all this, plus a classic Jackie Chan action flick.

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Sometimes, an operating system has served its purpose and it's time to go live on a farm. We take a look at some operating systems that are no longer supported and explore why moving on can sometimes cause a problem.

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From New York City to the state of Florida, politicians are getting serious as they face off against social media companies like Meta TikTok. Plus, we have a bunch of news around AI, an update on Tesla that has investors upset and we say farewell to an amazing little helicopter on Mars.

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An interesting set of challenges crop up when you want to translate movements in a physical space to a virtual one. How do you keep people safe? How do you manage groups in the same physical space? And can you still look cool if you're running around on an omni treadmill?

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At this year's CES, several trends revealed themselves among the exhibitors. But none were more prevalent than the incorporation of artificial intelligence. How are companies using, or at least claiming to use, AI in their products this year?

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Did you know that engineers were harnessing electricity long before they even knew what it was? We take a look at the history and tech behind electricity.

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In this episode from 2021, we look at the thorny issues of copyright and how fair use isn't some proactive safety play to avoid those pesky copyright strikes.

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A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device; it turns chemical energy into electrical energy. Jonathan and Chris discuss fuel cells in detail from their origins to why they're not practical for general use yet in this episode.

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It might be a small world after all, but how did Disney imagineers create the first audio animatronics and how do they work? Find out in the Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Room.

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How do the theories of special relativity and general relativity apply to satellites? Why is the speed of light constant, but time and distance are not? We get all Einstein up in here!

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Is it really possible for a machine to achieve consciousness? What does consciousness even mean? From philosophy to technological obstacles, we look at the problems and possibilities.

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Lasers can be used to threaten our enemies, cut steel and even amuse our cats. Find out the history of lasers and how they work in this episode of Techstuff.

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How does CT (computed tomography) scanners work? What's going on with TechStuff? In this episode, you are invited into Jonathan's brain to find out.

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What is the technological singularity? How might the technological singularity come about? What do critics say about the idea of the singularity? Listen in as Jonathan and Lauren explore the technological singularity.

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I swore I would never do another one of these. But what the heck, let's get out the crystal ball and make some predictions.

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Nearly two years after Microsoft announced its intention to acquire video game company Activision Blizzard, it sealed the deal. But it wasn't a sure thing. We look back on how government officials around the world nearly prevented the merger and why. 

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What was once a blue sky engineering dream has finally been put to bed. Hyperloop One never achieved its goal, but it did manage to be a hot spot for drama and controversy before petering out. We look back on the company.

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While FTX's failure happened in late 2022, the story of Sam Bankman-Fried's literal trials and tribulations played out this year. Plus, his rival Changpeng "CZ" Zhao entered a guilty plea on securities violations. We look at how two leaders in the crypto space had to face the music in 2023.

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From the return of Steve Jobs to the most recent Macs, we look at how the computer has changed over the years.

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While Christmas 2023 might be over, I have a little present for all of y'all -- 12 days out of 2023 that were important in the tech world for one reason or another. From cryptocurrency controversies to Apple getting into augmented reality, we look at a dozen days that stood out in 2023.

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Jess Royal and John Hilton drop what they're doing on Stranger Things to come by the studio and talk about what their jobs require. From Christmas lights to the upside down, we learn about what it takes to make a show work.

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We look at the history of incorporating lights in winter holidays like Christmas and Hanukkah and how electricity changed things dramatically. We'll also dive into those over the top displays that sequence lights with sound and talk about why it was such a challenge for the electrician on Stranger Things to make lights blink a specific way.

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At the beginning of 2023, Twitter was still called Twitter. It was facing multiple challenges in the wake of an acquisition. Elon Musk had reduced the staff by more than half. Advertisers were getting antsy. And then it all got much worse.

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The video sharing platform TikTok faced opposition and scrutiny around the world. Some suspect it of being a surveillance tool used by the Chinese Communist Party. Others worry that it is warping young minds. We look back over TikTok's rocky 2023.

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After its launch, Apple tweaked the Macintosh a bit. Then Apple executives gave Steve Jobs the boot. He would return many years later. We look at the Macintosh during this era.

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The ITC shuts down Apple's attempt to delay a ban on certain Apple Watches and so they leave store shelves today. A Reuters investigation shows that Tesla has been blaming customers for design problems for nearly a decade. And leaked documents indicate that Sony is worried about Microsoft.

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Artificial intelligence was in the news all throughout 2023. From legislators debating regulations to drama in corporate boardrooms to concerns about copyright infringement, AI touched just about everything. We take a look back on how the year played out.

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The EU announced a preliminary investigation into the social networking platform X out of concerns that it allows the transmission of illegal content and disinformation within the EU and potentially violates the Digital Services Act. Apple is pulling some popular tech off shelves in the US out of anticipation of a ban by the ITC. Plus lots more.

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Video game developer released a long-anticipated game called The Day Before on December 7th, 2023. Four days later, the company shut down. What the heck happened? 

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What's the origin story for the Macintosh computer? We look at the early days of Apple leading up to the launch of one of the most famous Apple products of all time.

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Elon Musk has had a busy week, with issues at X, Tesla and Neuralink. Plus, hackers say that a Polish train company has sabotaged its own vehicles if railways don't stay within the company's ecosystem. And the FCC says that cable and satellite providers can't charge customers early termination fees anymore. And much more!

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The ESA announced that E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, is well and truly over. What was E3's purpose, and why has the ESA decided to pull the plug?

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A hidden clause in Tesla's Cybertruck contracts forbids owners from reselling their new Cybertruck within a year of purchase. Google loses an important anticompetitive lawsuit against Epic Games. And the Wi-Fi 7 standard should become official early next year. Plus lots more!

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A tech miser and cryptobro learns the true meaning of Christmas. This episode of TechStuff is as goofy as the Dickens!

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Picking up where we left off, we look at some of the more recent stories about Samsung, including the tricky relationships between the heirs to the Samsung throne.

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After 20 years, the Seti@Home program is going on hiatus. How did this project let the average computer user lend a hand in the search for alien intelligence?

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Smoke detectors save lives, but how do they work? From photoelectric effects to nuclear radiation, we explore how smoke detectors let you know when there's a fire.

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In this episode, we delve into the groundbreaking technology behind autonomous driving vehicles in Lake Nona, a living lab community in Orlando, Florida, America's first smart town. Join us as we explore the dynamic world of Beep, the organization powering a transformative mobility solution operating in Lake Nona. Beep CEO Joe Moye joins Graeme and Tavistock Senior Vice President Juan Santos, to discuss how artificial intelligence has revolutionized transportation within the Lake Nona project. Discover how these visionary leaders have united to make communities safer, smarter, and more sustainable through AI integration. Get ready to be inspired by the innovative strides being taken to create a more connected and secure future on the roads of Lake Nona.

Learn more about how Intel is leading the charge in the AI Revolution at Intel.com/stories

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The Washington Post published an article revealing that the CIA secretly owned and operated an encryption company for decades. How did that happen and what does it mean? And what lessons should we learn from it?

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How did the company Samsung get its start? From its humble beginnings as a grocery and shipping company, we look at the complicated history of one of South Korea's most influential companies.

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Elon Musk once again demonstrates his leadership style by telling advertisers who are pulling out of X to go eff themselves. Also, an update on the OpenAI leadership situation, how some researchers got ChatGPT to share more than it was supposed to and say goodbye to those inactive Gmail accounts.

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Diversity and representation is important for all types of organizations. But one company decided the solution to finding the right women to serve as keynote speakers was to invent them. We look at the wild story of the DevTernity 2023 conference.

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The capabilities of artificial intelligence are increasing at a breakneck speed. Companies must leverage generative AI to transform everyday customer and employee experiences. In this episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Jacob Goldstein sits down with Susan Emerson, Senior Vice President of Product: AI, Analytics & Data at Salesforce & Matthew Candy, Global Managing Partner of Generative AI at IBM Consulting.

They chat about the latest evolution of the two tech innovators’ decades-long relationship, explore the opportunity AI presents for customer

experiences, and break down how better experiences will remove friction for all.

Visit us at: ibm.com/smarttalks

Read more about elevating experiences in the CEO’s Guide to Generative AI from the IBM Institute for Business Value.

This is a paid advertisement from IBM.

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While Meta communications director Andy Stone has ruffled more than a few feathers since joining the company in 2014, it seems that in Russia things are a bit more serious. Apparently, he's on a wanted list created by Russia's Ministry of the Interior. But why?

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Are you an adult citizen in the US? If so, there's a 50% chance your face is in a law enforcement database. We look at this problematic law enforcement tool.

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Where did green screen technology come from? How does it work? From the dawn of cinema to the latest Zoom meeting, we take a look at the tech that lets us combine different images into a single film or video.

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We get a very quick update on the OpenAI/Sam Altman situation and then turn our attention to the blockbuster news that Binance and its co-founder, Changpeng "CZ" Zhao, have entered a guilty plea on charges that include money laundering. What does this mean for Binance in particular and cryptocurrency in general?

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We've got a few updates on what's going on after OpenAI's board of directors fired CEO Sam Altman (and then asked if he wouldn't mind coming back, please). Plus, X is looking at a pretty rough holiday season as advertisers flee the platform. And SpaceX deals with another exploding spacecraft. Plus more!

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In a dramatic turn of events, OpenAI's board of directors fired CEO and co-founder Sam Altman. Then they tried to hire him back. Then they announced a former Twitch CEO will lead the company. What the what?

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The world has teetered on the brink of nuclear war a few times. Sometimes, it was because of technical glitches. Sometimes, it was because of coincidences. We explore some very close calls.

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TikTok tries to convince the EU to reconsider designating parent company ByteDance as a "gatekeeper" under the Digital Markets Act. A ransomware group tattles on its victim to the SEC. And SpaceX is getting ready to test the Starship launch vehicle, hopefully with better results.

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What's the story behind the microblogging site Tumblr? How did it go from the nexus of Internet culture valued at more than a billion dollars to a property that would change hands multiple times in just a few short years? We take a look at the phenomenon known as Tumblr.

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In order to stay competitive in a rapidly changing marketplace, businesses need to adapt to the potential of generative AI. In this special live episode of Smart Talks with IBM, Malcolm Gladwell is joined onstage at iHeartMedia’s studio by Dr. Darío Gil, Senior Vice President and Director of Research at IBM. They chat about the evolution of AI, give examples of practical uses, and discuss how businesses can create value through cutting edge technology. 

Watch the live conversation here: https://youtu.be/WOwM__St6aU

Hear more from Darío on generative AI for business: https://www.ibm.com/think/ai-academy/

Visit us at: ibm.com/smarttalks

This is a paid advertisement from IBM.

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How did the famous Napoleon Bonaparte set into motion the events that led to the humble can opener? From early experiments in canning to gadgets so dangerous the average person wasn't allowed to buy them, we look at the history and evolution of can openers.

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Was Google Glass an idea ahead of its time? What are its origins and where is it today?

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Steve Wozniak is recovering in a hospital in Mexico City and we wish him well. Internal documents from Meta show that Mark Zuckerberg repeatedly shut down initiatives meant to promote user well being. Microsoft says it has a plan for AI-generated misinformation during the election season. And the Omegle service shuts down.

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What does artificial intelligence have to do with an outdated practice that involved blasting shoe stores with radiation? Trust me, there's a connection. Or at least I make one. 

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WeWork declares bankruptcy, there's a ton of AI news in the tech space and some attendees at an NFT conference received painful burns. Plus much more.

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What has Digg been up to since our last episode about the site back in 2017? From shutting down a popular tool to another acquisition from a small ad company, we explore what has been up over at Digg.

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It all began with a startup led by a TechTV host. Then it evolved into a massively influential site, only to seemingly implode a short while later. What's the story behind Digg?

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YouTube users with ad block software may find themselves blocked from watching videos on the platform unless they allow ads. Politicians around the world speak out against bias on Tiktok, but no one can agree which way the bias goes. Scarlett Johansson takes legal action against a company that used an AI-generated impression of her voice for an ad. Plus much more!

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First came the web ad. Then came the ad blocking software. What is the history of ad blocking? What challenges does it create for industry, and what services does it provide beyond, you know, blocking all those pesky ads? We get into it!

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From ghostly AI to hacker goblins, we get a rundown on what's going on in the tech space. The US President issues an executive order about artificial intelligence, X reveals in internal documents that the company's value has dropped by more than 50% over the last year, and a little software company in the UK is trying to take on the mega corporation Meta.

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Charles Babbage was a man ahead of his time. He was an engineer, inventor, mathematician, and grouchy pants. We learn more about this historic figure and his creations.

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The USB has become a standard port in tech. How did it get started and how does it work?

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